Best Cutting Techniques for Popular Materials

As a sign making cnc machine user, experts at Front Signs, a commercial sign making company in Burbank, CA are eager to share their knowledge of expert cutting techniques used for various materials in the fabrication of business signs.

Get all the insights from industry specialists and learn the best machines for cutting each material.

Below, we’ve selected the best cutting techniques for the most popular materials.

• CNC Router for Aluminum and Dibond

Among the most rigid materials in the signage industry are aluminum and dibond. Both are used for various applications from outdoor advertising to interior decoration.

In order to cut aluminum or dibond sheets into custom shapes, we recommend using a powerful CNC router.

The tooling that’s used can change based on the design but overall, the CNC router is the best machine for cutting rigid materials. 

The CNC router is a universal tool for cutting and engraving various types of rigid materials.

Compared with other cutting machines, the CNC doesn’t deform the aluminum edges and it’s powerful enough to cut through thick materials.

To achieve better results and make the tool as effective as possible, using shorter tooling is the best practice. This will provide more stability to the blade and ensure high accuracy in the cutting process. 

Another tip for beginners using a CNC router is switching the direction of the rotation.

Sometimes you may notice that both sides of the finished product are not identical, making one side look better than the other.

You can fix this by switching the direction from climb side to conventional side in the process of cutting. With some trial and error, you’ll be able to master the CNC router to provide precise cutting on all kinds of materials.

• CO2 Laser Cutter for Acrylic and Lexan 

The best substitutes for glass are acrylic and lexan. They’re used for various applications from decorative and functional to promotional. Both materials are more durable and impact-resistant compared to glass and serve as a versatile medium for fabrication purposes. 

The machine recommended for cutting acrylic and similar plastic materials is the powerful CO2 laser cutter. The cutter increases production speed by precision-melting the plastic material, providing it with clean cut edges. 

Another great technique for yielding perfectly polished edges on acrylic is using a slow cutting speed with the powerful laser beam. With this technique, the laser has enough time to melt the material and provide a perfect finish. To achieve better results, using pins to elevate the acrylic on the cutting board is good practice. This will eliminate any chance of having grid marks imprinted onto the material. 

Finally, using the red pointer on the machine is highly encouraged for precision cutting along ornate details. You can turn it on and off when needed. This is especially helpful for beginners to determine exactly where the laser will cut.

• Digital Cutter for Foam Core Materials

Foam cores are lightweight but relatively sturdy materials used for promotions, decorations, presentations and many other purposes. Some of the most popular types of foam core materials are foam board, gator board and ultra board. A digital machine is a perfect tool for cutting all kinds of foam core materials. It’s a multifunctional computer-controlled machine that comes with a pen, creasing wheel and cutting tools to provide accurate designs. The machine has universal blades for different cutting techniques such as die cutting, kiss cutting and beyond. 

What makes a digital cutter the best option for foam core materials is the fact that unlike some other machines, a digital cutter doesn’t heat the material. Also, the digital cutter doesn’t need to apply heavy pressure on gentle materials like foam board. This prevents the materials from being damaged in the cutting process.

For precision cutting, it’s highly recommended to use its crop mark sensor. When you apply this option in the print file, the machine can detect the ‘cutter guides’ for the design. It then uses them to move the blades over the applicable areas without going over the edges. This results in highly accurate contour cutting

• Plotter Machine for Adhesive Vinyl and Static Cling

Vinyl and static cling are thin adhesive materials often used for application on walls, windows, cars and other smooth surfaces. A plotter machine is the best tool for cutting thin materials such as vinyl. It’s ideal for contour cutting and it can cut even the most elaborate details of a design. 

The best technique for cutting vinyl using a plotter is to cut the material with the blade barely touching the backing carrier. You do this by learning how to set the right blade depth, after which you’ll be able to provide a clean cut on any vinyl material. 

All you need to do is adjust the blade of the plotter to make it cut through the vinyl and stop right where it touches the backing carrier so it doesn’t go any deeper. You can test the settings on a small piece of material to avoid wasting a large sheet of vinyl. This cutting technique also decreases the force on the blade and prolongs its lifespan. 

The above information is intended as a guide for beginners to gain insight into various cutting machine and material combinations. We’ve learned all the ins and outs of each cutting machine through years of experience. We hope that this content will be helpful for your future endeavors with cutting machines. 

Any question, do not hesitate to let us know. Hope cutting machine speed up your production.